Heron visits the family

A Grey Heron parent flew into the nest on the island to feed the chicks.

There is a higher nest in a nearby tree which gives a good view down on to the chicks, and there has been a heron in it most of the time for the past few days.This is likely to be the other parent keeping an eye on things, staying far enough away not to be constantly pestered for food.

The Blue Tit in the Rose Garden shrubbery was being very awkward about having its picture taken, but it stopped in a yew bush to eat a pine nut and I caught it there.

The Coal Tit can't be captured in this way as it always dashes off into the distance when it's fed, so you just have to be quick.

The Robin waited patiently in a bush.

After a dank morning.,a moment of sunlight lit up Pigeon Eater as he prowled around his territory. The Feral Pigeons gave him a wide berth, heeding the words of St Peter, 'Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.'

The Black-Headed Gull was back in full possession of his landing stage. Behind him was the gang of six teenage Mute Swans.

I had assumed that the sixth swan that joined the killer swan's five was the teenager from the pair at the island. But that one was visible in the distance with its parents. I asked Jon Ferguson about this, and he thinks the new gang member has flown in from outside.

The male Egyptian Goose under the Henry Moore sculpture was alone again. It looks as if his mate, who has been absent several times in the past few days, really is nesting and has now settled down to incubate her eggs. 

The single Gadwall drake in the Italian Garden fountains was again visited by a female Mallard, and here they are preening together. I don't think they are mates, just good friends. Also, it must be a relief for her to have a male companions who doesn't constantly try to rape her as Mallard drakes do.

It looks as if all the Red-Crested Pochards have left except for this drake, which always stayed apart from the others under a tree at the Vista.

A female Great Crested Grebe on the Serpentine gave the camera a quizzical look.

A heavy shower at least produced a rainbow over the Dell ...

... and the sky cleared to reveal the crescent moon over the clock tower of the Lido restaurant.

I went to the Round Pond, hoping that the sunshine might bring the Little Owl into sight. No luck with that, and there was a Carrion Crow on the nest tree which would have kept her inside.

There were several Shovellers on the pond. One was preening his bright feathers.

The Winter Wasteland is now closed, and the long task of clearing the mess has begun. Removal of the ambulance ramp up from the Serpentine Road has uncovered a patch of yellow etiolated daffodil leaves. Last year they recovered and flowers came out, though the leaves remained twisted.

Going home through the small streets I was surprised to see a lemon tree complete with lemons. Apparently they can just stand an English winter provided there isn't a prolonged frost.